Comments on: If You Are Dieting…How To Counter The “Health Halo” Effect http://www.livelongagewell.com/2008/12/04/if-you-are-dieting%e2%80%a6how-to-counter-the-%e2%80%9chealth-halo%e2%80%9d-effect/ How To Drop Dead Dancing In Your 90s.....by drDave Thu, 23 Jul 2009 21:24:15 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: drDave http://www.livelongagewell.com/2008/12/04/if-you-are-dieting%e2%80%a6how-to-counter-the-%e2%80%9chealth-halo%e2%80%9d-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-42 drDave Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:08:33 +0000 http://www.livelongagewell.com/?p=649#comment-42 Thanks for your input Greg B. It’s true and somewhat disturbing that the law permits up to ½ gram of trans fat “per serving” and still the front of the label can claim “trans fat free”. So if you consume several servings, you could easily be consuming an unhealthy amount of trans fat. It’s hard to tell with the present labeling law, and hopefully this will be reversed in the next several years so that any trans fat content will show on the label. You are right Greg B that "serving sizes" are often very small and misleading. Now apparently the government considers less than ½ gram a “trivial” amount (which it may be if you only have one serving). The American Heart Assn. recommends less than 2 total grams of trans fat per day, and you have to remember if you are eating “trans fat free” cookies or whatever, that you might well be also consuming some trans fat elsewhere in your daily diet. For the time being, if you want to be more certain about really limiting your trans fats, again, look into the ingredient list, and if you see “partially hydrogenated (then name of some oil)” or “hydrogenated”, particularly high up in the list, you should avoid those products. For a lot more information, here’s a good link from the American Heart Association called Fats 101 that gives lots of concise information on all the fats: http://facethefats.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3045789 Thanks for your input Greg B. It’s true and somewhat disturbing that the law permits up to ½ gram of trans fat “per serving” and still the front of the label can claim “trans fat free”. So if you consume several servings, you could easily be consuming an unhealthy amount of trans fat. It’s hard to tell with the present labeling law, and hopefully this will be reversed in the next several years so that any trans fat content will show on the label. You are right Greg B that “serving sizes” are often very small and misleading.

Now apparently the government considers less than ½ gram a “trivial” amount (which it may be if you only have one serving). The American Heart Assn. recommends less than 2 total grams of trans fat per day, and you have to remember if you are eating “trans fat free” cookies or whatever, that you might well be also consuming some trans fat elsewhere in your daily diet.

For the time being, if you want to be more certain about really limiting your trans fats, again, look into the ingredient list, and if you see “partially hydrogenated (then name of some oil)” or “hydrogenated”, particularly high up in the list, you should avoid those products.

For a lot more information, here’s a good link from the American Heart Association called Fats 101 that gives lots of concise information on all the fats:

http://facethefats.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3045789

]]> By: Greg B http://www.livelongagewell.com/2008/12/04/if-you-are-dieting%e2%80%a6how-to-counter-the-%e2%80%9chealth-halo%e2%80%9d-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-40 Greg B Sat, 20 Dec 2008 12:30:54 +0000 http://www.livelongagewell.com/?p=649#comment-40 In addition to the mentioned calorie issue, more important is the actual TRANS FAT content of these products. Although the nutritional panel, as well as the packaging, may state "ZERO TRANS FAT", if one serving provides less than 500mg of trans fat, it can somehow be legally listed as zero. In other words, you may consume a serving or two, yet actually be ingesting as much as 499 to 998mg of trans fat. My hunch is that the serving size has been low-balled to accommodate this fact. I wish my checking account worked the same way. Greg B In addition to the mentioned calorie issue, more important is the actual TRANS FAT content of these products. Although the nutritional panel, as well as the packaging, may state “ZERO TRANS FAT”, if one serving provides less than 500mg of trans fat, it can somehow be legally listed as zero. In other words, you may consume a serving or two, yet actually be ingesting as much as 499 to 998mg of trans fat. My hunch is that the serving size has been low-balled to accommodate this fact. I wish my checking account worked the same way. Greg B

]]> By: drDave http://www.livelongagewell.com/2008/12/04/if-you-are-dieting%e2%80%a6how-to-counter-the-%e2%80%9chealth-halo%e2%80%9d-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-36 drDave Thu, 18 Dec 2008 22:30:07 +0000 http://www.livelongagewell.com/?p=649#comment-36 Phyllis, Thanks for your comments and support! I agree about simple carbs, and high glycemic index foods....they seem to be the weight gain culprit for most people, more than fats. It's great we are seeing more complex carbs sold now so it's easier to replace the simple carbs (like whole wheat pasta rather than regular).... Keep reading and commenting! David Phyllis,
Thanks for your comments and support!

I agree about simple carbs, and high glycemic index foods….they seem to be the weight gain culprit for most people, more than fats. It’s great we are seeing more complex carbs sold now so it’s easier to replace the simple carbs (like whole wheat pasta rather than regular)….

Keep reading and commenting!
David

]]> By: Phyllis http://www.livelongagewell.com/2008/12/04/if-you-are-dieting%e2%80%a6how-to-counter-the-%e2%80%9chealth-halo%e2%80%9d-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-35 Phyllis Thu, 18 Dec 2008 14:25:09 +0000 http://www.livelongagewell.com/?p=649#comment-35 And they are loaded with sugar! I find that staying away from simple carbs (like sugar), not fat makes me drop weight faster! PS - I LOVE THIS BLOG!!!!!! And they are loaded with sugar! I find that staying away from simple carbs (like sugar), not fat makes me drop weight faster!

PS – I LOVE THIS BLOG!!!!!!

]]> By: drDave http://www.livelongagewell.com/2008/12/04/if-you-are-dieting%e2%80%a6how-to-counter-the-%e2%80%9chealth-halo%e2%80%9d-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-23 drDave Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:29:36 +0000 http://www.livelongagewell.com/?p=649#comment-23 Thanks for your feedback! And I guess that's a good sign Greg you were wanting more...in almost all posts I put links, so you can click on them for more. My book will have more details about different topics, but for the blog format, I want the posts to be reasonably concise. Thanks for your feedback!

And I guess that’s a good sign Greg you were wanting more…in almost all posts I put links, so you can click on them for more. My book will have more details about different topics, but for the blog format, I want the posts to be reasonably concise.

]]> By: Paulo http://www.livelongagewell.com/2008/12/04/if-you-are-dieting%e2%80%a6how-to-counter-the-%e2%80%9chealth-halo%e2%80%9d-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-22 Paulo Mon, 08 Dec 2008 02:39:30 +0000 http://www.livelongagewell.com/?p=649#comment-22 Very good post. Loved it! It gave me a very good topic to talk with friends. I hope to hear more things about diet. Good work. Paulo Very good post. Loved it!
It gave me a very good topic to talk with friends.
I hope to hear more things about diet.
Good work.
Paulo

]]> By: Greg http://www.livelongagewell.com/2008/12/04/if-you-are-dieting%e2%80%a6how-to-counter-the-%e2%80%9chealth-halo%e2%80%9d-effect/comment-page-1/#comment-21 Greg Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:58:49 +0000 http://www.livelongagewell.com/?p=649#comment-21 Interesting article. I've lost about 15 lbs recently and found portion control was critical key to success. Also interesting to see you using a shorter format - part of me liked the quicker read and part of me was left wanting more. I need to process to decide which part of me is right ;o) Interesting article. I’ve lost about 15 lbs recently and found portion control was critical key to success.

Also interesting to see you using a shorter format – part of me liked the quicker read and part of me was left wanting more. I need to process to decide which part of me is right ;o)

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